Welcome to this active site. Each week I am going to present to you an endgame position for you to solve or to workout the best continuation. Computer analysis will also be considered. Some of these positions will come from actual historical games. Others will be composed endgame studies, but all the solutions will be relevant to the practical game. The new position will occur each SUNDAY and I will always be pleased to receive POSITIVE feedback about the positions and the analysis and I will try to acknowledge these where relevant.

 

French player, analyst and endgame composer. Chess champion of France in 1926, 1927 and 1929. Author of a very famous work on the endgame, the four-volume: Lehr- und Handbuch der Schachendspiele (1952-71). Due to his poor health Cheron lived the latter part of his life in the mountains of Switzerland.

White has to be extra careful in this position because Black is threatening to stalemate his own King. This is a valid defensive ploy and it is worth looking out for this possiblity when facing a " lost " ending. If it was Black's move he could play his King to a4 and then by advancing his b-pawns he could "wall-in" the Monarch so that he has no more moves to play. This defensive idea which can occur in practical play is easily missed if the winning side is too confident.

1. Cumulative 2001 Prizes: 1st £100 or equivalent, 2nd £50, 3rd £30; 4th £20. (Total Prize Money=£200) Entries limited to 20 solvers. This event will run from 7/1/2001 to 30/12/2001. Present CUMULATIVE COMPETITION rules apply but note the prizes will go to those participants who climb the ladder the greatest number of times during the year. The relative position of the solver's name on the ladder will decide the allocation of prizes.

2. Endgame Solving Tournaments 2001. The nature of these events are changing. They will be directed at mainly new or intermediate solvers and will not be too difficult. No money prizes but a book prize for the highest placed newcomer. Events will take place at Easter, Summer and Christmas each consisting of 5 positions to solve. Present strict rules will apply; no computer analysis.